Rowling row reinforces the need for editors and publishers to clean up their own houses

Recently, the (London) Daily Mail was ordered by a British judge to issue a formal apology to J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame. According to the (London) Guardian, this all stems from a suit filed by Rowling in 2013 in which she alleged the Daily Mail knowingly published a article in which Rowling’s tale as a single mother was characterized as a “sob story” and in which members of her own church were reported to have been left upset and confused, an allegation which was later acknowledged by the publisher as “completely false and indefensible.”

And the media wonders why there is such little regard for reporters.

The very first rule of journalism, at least the way I learned it, was two words: fact check. Unfortunately, today’s media seems to be more concerned with sensationalism and creating a buzz to sell copies, create clicks, or attract viewers than it…